Fullerton junior high teacher charged with molesting students

Melissa Lindgren, 28, who taught at Nicholas Junior High School in Fullerton, faces multiple felony counts for allegedly assaulting three boys she met at the school.

Melissa Lindgren, 28, who taught at Nicholas Junior High School in Fullerton, faces multiple felony counts for allegedly assaulting three boys she met at the school. (Orange County district attorney's office)

Adolfo Flores

A Fullerton junior high school math teacher was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting and sending sexual text messages to three students.

Melissa Lindgren, 28, who taught at Nicholas Junior High School, faces multiple felony counts on charges of assaulting three boys between the ages of 13 and 15 she met at the school, the Orange County district attorney's office said in a statement.

The La Mirada resident is accused of sexually touching and kissing one boy while in a classroom, a second boy on the school campus and a third student in her car. Prosecutors said the crimes occured over a two-year period, ending this year.

Prosecutors said Lindren also send sexual text messages to all three boys.

Lindgren was arrested Feb. 21 after one of the victims came forward and the Fullerton Police Department launched an investigation.

Lindgren is charged with five felony counts of lewd acts on a child, two felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 and three felony counts of distributing pornography to a minor. She faces a sentencing enhancement allegation for lewd acts on multiple children.

If convicted she faces a maximum sentence of 16 years and four months in state prison, prosecutors said.

Lindgren is free on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning.